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I was all set to get over excited about the visit of Fulham to Griffin Park tonight but the edge has been taken off things a little bit with news that Brentford have finally accepted a bid from Wigan Athletic for Adam Forshaw.

In a rare turn of events, the club made an advance press release (normally, transfers not being announced until well after the ink has dried) as they told us that Adam has gone North to discuss terms.

To read the rest of this article, season 2014/15 is now available to download onto Kindle (and other electronic reading device) in full. Containing additional material and even some (poor) editing, you can get it here for less than the cost of a Griffin Park matchday programme or Balti Pie.

Thanks for reading and all your comments over the course of the season. For now, I need to make more space on the site for any follow up. However, ‘close season’ will continue in full, further along.

No sooner have Birmingham City left Griffin Park than Brentford are preparing for the next home game – a Capital One Cup tie with Felix ‘nil points’ Magath’s Fulham team on Tuesday. Whilst, no doubt, there’ll be further build up to the Fulham game in the next column, for now here’s a chance to catch up on those other things that there simply wasn’t enough space to write about following the draw with Birmingham (along with an 11th hour bonus).

My feelings on referee Robert Madley have been well documented in the past and, disappointingly, these were proven to be spot on as this fusion of Stroud, Biggar and Attwell once again showed all the decision-making ability of a tombola.

View from the terrace – David tells Madley to button it, as Tony troops off

The one positive for me is that at least I wasn’t alone in this opinion. Any thoughts of “Could it have just been me?” were dispelled with a read of Greville Waterman’s BFCtalk column on the subject. A very therapeutic piece for those of you seeing red about the card happy man in black.

Still, at least Robert wasn’t alone in having a stinker on Saturday. The BBC didn’t even have the excuse of having had to make a snap decision. I’m not sure which match their correspondent was watching but on returning home I read their website with amusement. Specifically the part of the match report that described how goalkeeper Tony Craig had been sent off – although at least substitute ‘keeper David Button had made some smart saves.

Not even West London’s leading journo called this transfer swoop (the BBC have, since, corrected)

Sunday afternoon saw a thumping 4-0 win for Tottenham against the Loftus Road mob. A four goal defeat mirrors that suffered by Fulham the day before and gives a wonderful sense of symmetery to the bottom of the Premiership and Championship tables.

The BBC have, at least, got the tables right. Enjoy

Interestingly, Monday morning sees the Daily Telegraph reporting that Fulham boss Magath only has one game left in which to hang on to his job. You can read their story, here and then think on about the significance of what that next game is….

On Saturday, rather than the traditional pre-match tub-thumping, the Last Word took things seriously (well, as serious as it gets) to talk about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Specifically, the one that had been performed by Brentford fan Natalie Sawyer (with her fellow Sky Sports presenter Hayley McQueen).

Not only has Matthew Benham since risen to the challenge laid down by Alan Judge but yours truly has also been on the receiving end of that icy gauntlet. Luis Adriano, fellow blogger and author (you’ll find his excellent work, Penalties, on Kindle) was the man delivering that clarion call to a charitable soaking.

I have, duly, accepted. And instantly realised three things.

1 – That a trip to the gym may be in order. Truly, the pecs have slipped.

2 – That whoever designed the Chad brand vinyl effect shorts of Brentford’s 91/92 promotion season didn’t know much about fashion. Or comfort.

3- Most importantly, that however silly you feel or look participating in this act of outdoor showering, the cause remains a noble one

Oh, there is a fourth thing. As this new found tradition dictates, I can also nominate. And so, in turn, I follow Luis Adriano’s literary line of thinking and challenge.

Billy the Bee – the face of Beesotted (please note: Beesotted has other faces)

Mark Chapman and Chris Wickham from the Brentford FC media team. You’ve read their match reports and programmes – who wouldn’t want to see the video?

So here it is. My lardy effort. Billy, Greville, Chappers and Chris – I’d love if you could accept. Given the amount of other Brentford related faces to have participated so far, think what a great spread it might make in the next programme.

Need to cool off before the Bees take on Birmingham City today? Well known Brentford fan Natalie Sawyer, alongside her fellow Sky Sports presenter Hayley McQueen, did this yesterday by participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

If you haven’t heard about this yet (it’s possible) it simply involves tipping a bucket of icy water over yourself and then nominating somebody else to participate in the ritual whilst the whole affair is filmed for social media. The point of the exercise being to raise funds for, and awareness about, ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – also known motor neurone disease).

Natalie and Hayley complete the challenge

With personalities from the worlds of sport and entertainment lining up to take part, it certainly has focused public attention on this awful disease. And as much of the interest seems to lie in whom the participants nominate next.

Natalie, for example, challenged ‘Mr Douglas’ who, presumably, is Brentford’s Jonathan rather than boxing’s James ‘Buster’. Although judging by the current state of Dougie’s beard, a bucket of icy water is the least he needs with the midfield legend fast becoming football’s Russell Brand (in the unkempt facial hair, rather than joke telling, stakes).

Like several others in the Brentford squad Alan Judge has also taken part. Unlike several others in the Brentford squad, it seems he has immediately earned himself a transfer to Slough Town. That’s what you get for challenging the boss…

I’d love to see the ALS challenge, which is now coursing through the higher levels of the club thanks to Alan Judge, extended further. If Matthew Benham does accept, then why not have the likes of Mark Devlin, Peter Gilham or even our media team alongside him?

Who wouldn’t donate to charity to see the likes of Chris Wickham and Mark Chapman give each other an icy soaking?